Lowering Expensive AC Bills
In Arizona, keeping your home comfortable during the summer can get expensive. With energy costs already at an all time high, many Northern Arizona residents are looking to save money wherever possible, but for many people, not using your air conditioner isn’t really an option. Thankfully, there are ways to lower the impact your air conditioner has on your energy bill - without compromising your comfort.
Keep Your Unit Regularly Maintained
Regular maintenance is key to keeping your air conditioner running at peak performance. Professional tune-ups help to ensure your unit is clean and performing to capacity. Doing so maintains the efficiency of the unit, which can save you a fair amount of money in energy costs.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
If you aren’t using one already, you might want to consider switching to a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are a great energy-saving solution by letting you set different temperatures for different times of day, depending on your climate control needs and schedule. Programmable thermostats can save you up to 25% or more in energy costs by automating the temperature control without you having to remember to adjust your thermostat.
Make Sure Your Ductwork Is Performing Efficiently
Inside your home, the ductwork is responsible for transferring conditioned air from room to room. Next to the air conditioner, it plays the biggest role in keeping you cool. Sometimes your ductwork can become inefficient, succumbing to cracks, loose joints and leaks. When this happens, the air you are paying to cool can escape through these holes and into your walls, attic or crawlspace. What’s more, because air is escaping, your air conditioner has to work much harder to achieve the desired thermostat setting. When this happens, you’re not only wasting money on air that isn’t cooling you’re home, you’re paying more for your air conditioner to work overtime. It’s highly recommended to have your ductwork inspected and sealed by a professional on a regular basis. Doing so can significantly improve the costs of your monthly air conditioning bill.
Keep Your Curtains and Blinds Closed
During the warmer parts of the day – especially in rooms where the sun is shining in directly – draw the drapes or close the blinds. Reducing the amount of sun that enters a room will lessen the impact of the day’s temperatures on your air conditioner. While it may seem like a small step, blocking out the heat the sun brings in will make a difference!
Install and Use Ceiling Fans
While ceiling fans don’t cool a room, they do help to cool you by moving otherwise motionless air. When used in conjunction with your air conditioner, ceiling fans can make you feel up to 7 degrees cooler. The addition of a ceiling fan in rooms where comfort control is needed most will let you raise the thermostat temperature a few degrees higher than you otherwise might be able to tolerate. Ceiling fans cost little to run as long as you remember, like the lights, to turn them off when you leave the room.
Install a Radiant Barrier
In Arizona, attic temperatures can reach well above the 130s during the hottest months. Installing a radiant barrier will help to reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere. This will keep your attic cooler and reduce the effect the hot attic air has on the rest of your home. In turn, less strain is placed on your air conditioner, saving you money.
When it comes to Arizona summers, going without air conditioning really isn’t an option. Thankfully there are steps you can take to reduce the impact the desert heat has on your monthly energy bill.
To learn more about saving on air conditioning costs, contact your air conditioning experts at Pitzer's One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating. Could your air conditioner use a tune-up? Schedule one online today!
In Arizona, keeping your home comfortable during the summer can get expensive. With energy costs already at an all time high, many Northern Arizona residents are looking to save money wherever possible, but for many people, not using your air conditioner isn’t really an option. Thankfully, there are ways to lower the impact your air conditioner has on your energy bill - without compromising your comfort.Keep Your Unit Regularly Maintained
Regular maintenance is key to keeping your air conditioner running at peak performance. Professional tune-ups help to ensure your unit is clean and performing to capacity. Doing so maintains the efficiency of the unit, which can save you a fair amount of money in energy costs.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
If you aren’t using one already, you might want to consider switching to a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are a great energy-saving solution by letting you set different temperatures for different times of day, depending on your climate control needs and schedule. Programmable thermostats can save you up to 25% or more in energy costs by automating the temperature control without you having to remember to adjust your thermostat.
Make Sure Your Ductwork Is Performing Efficiently
Inside your home, the ductwork is responsible for transferring conditioned air from room to room. Next to the air conditioner, it plays the biggest role in keeping you cool. Sometimes your ductwork can become inefficient, succumbing to cracks, loose joints and leaks. When this happens, the air you are paying to cool can escape through these holes and into your walls, attic or crawlspace. What’s more, because air is escaping, your air conditioner has to work much harder to achieve the desired thermostat setting. When this happens, you’re not only wasting money on air that isn’t cooling you’re home, you’re paying more for your air conditioner to work overtime. It’s highly recommended to have your ductwork inspected and sealed by a professional on a regular basis. Doing so can significantly improve the costs of your monthly air conditioning bill.
Keep Your Curtains and Blinds Closed
During the warmer parts of the day – especially in rooms where the sun is shining in directly – draw the drapes or close the blinds. Reducing the amount of sun that enters a room will lessen the impact of the day’s temperatures on your air conditioner. While it may seem like a small step, blocking out the heat the sun brings in will make a difference!
Install and Use Ceiling Fans
While ceiling fans don’t cool a room, they do help to cool you by moving otherwise motionless air. When used in conjunction with your air conditioner, ceiling fans can make you feel up to 7 degrees cooler. The addition of a ceiling fan in rooms where comfort control is needed most will let you raise the thermostat temperature a few degrees higher than you otherwise might be able to tolerate. Ceiling fans cost little to run as long as you remember, like the lights, to turn them off when you leave the room.
Install a Radiant Barrier
In Arizona, attic temperatures can reach well above the 130s during the hottest months. Installing a radiant barrier will help to reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere. This will keep your attic cooler and reduce the effect the hot attic air has on the rest of your home. In turn, less strain is placed on your air conditioner, saving you money.
When it comes to Arizona summers, going without air conditioning really isn’t an option. Thankfully there are steps you can take to reduce the impact the desert heat has on your monthly energy bill.
To learn more about saving on air conditioning costs, contact your air conditioning experts at Pitzer's One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating. Could your air conditioner use a tune-up? Schedule one online today!
